The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-05-26
MY SENORITA.

wi l. OLNOOll Ia.
One bright spring morning in 1877
when the diligencia rolled out of To
boso, found myself the only pas
senger.
l had a ride of forty miles before m
to the City of Mexico, and the prospec
of making the trip alone did not sui
me. The driver of the dilegencia, on,
Gil Perez, had villainous face, fac,
suggestive of treason, stratagems, ant
spOils, and every time it was turned il
my direction instinctively felt unde
the seat to see if my valise was still
there.
My valise was fully worthy of thi.
attention on my part. 1t contained
$40, 600 in gold, the result of my col
lecting trip to Toboso, undertaken il
the interest of wealthy American
client at the Capital.
The interior of the vehicle was cap
able of accommodating six or eight
persons, and l longed for q fellow
passenger.
We had not left the outskirts of the
town fairly behind us, when the lum.
bering old coach was brought to 6
sudden standstill, the four horses
throwing themselves into line across
the road, with the evident intention OF
taking to the woods.
"Carrajo!" howled Gil Perez from
his lofty perch as he gave his whip a
vicious crack. Thou devil of San.
cho, will cut out thy heart and liver
and as for thee, Perdita, / will flaw
thee alive"
laughed. When the driver talked
in this fashion to his beasts he was in
a good humor. His lusty oaths and
frightful threats counted for nothing.
The cause of our halt was soon ex-
planned. Two young woman had sig
nailed Gil Perez to stop. One of them
was Immediately bundled into the
vehicle by her companion and the
driver. 1t seemed to me that some
bird of the tropics, with an overpower-
ing glitter of gorgeous plumage, had
swooped down upon me, and I natur-
ally looked out of the window until !
could think of something to say.
1t struck ME that the new passen-
gers maid, for such the young woman
outside appeared to be, was a very
picturesque affair, She had a rich
complexion, with fine black eyes, and
her hair, arranged in Il long, glossy
plait, hung down nearly to her heels.
Her head, neck, and shoulders were
perfectly bare, and her only garments
were loose-fitting white cotton tunic
and petticoat of red and blue reach
ing to her knees. She gave me saucy
look, and kissed her hand to her mis-
tress, keeping up lively chatter all
the time.
After the driver had slowed away
the light baggage of the senorita, as
he called her, and parting adios had
been exchanged between the lady and
the airy-looking young woman who
was to be left behind, the diligencia
started, and was soon rumbling on its
way.
Under the circumstances it was i'm
possible for me to go on looking at the
landscape forever. 1t was clearly my
duty to make myself agreeable to the
senorita.
The task did not appear at all un-
pleasant to me after l had furtively
surveyed the situation out of the tail Of
my eyes. If an excuse for opening
conversation had been lacking, Gil
Perez was polite enough to supply it
1.-The senior will be delighted to
know" he said, with flourish, ''that
the senorita will honor us with hel
company all the way to the city,"
managed in rather crippled Span
ish to express my almost deliriou:
pleasure, and wound up by saying
that I had been in state of uttel
gloom and despair over my solitary
journey.
To my surprise the senorita replied
in excellent English, and said that she
was overjoyed to have an American
for fellow-traveler.
II like the Americans" she said
''they are, what 60 you call itP Nice
1 think, is the word. Yes, they are 81
NICE"
There was no question about it
The senorita was pretty. Tall as 1
daughter of the gods, with midnigh
hair and eyes, harmonizing well witt
her brunei complexion, she was wha
/ called, impressed as l was by he
costume, blazing beauty. She wa
not dressed for travelling, but perhap
she considered ride of forty miles ;
mere trifie. She was attired after tn
fashion of the senoritas l had seel
promenading in the parks at the Capi
tai. Her hair was studded with flash
ing gems, and her dress was OF som
| almost diaphanous material tina
seemed to CLEAN and simmer wit
| the prismatic hues of the rainbow
She wore the inevitable black lac
mantilla which ladies are seldom seel
without in Spanish-American cOun
| tries, but if it was intended to etfectu
| ally conceal her snowy shoulders
was a lamentable failure as disguise
as much so as the V-shaped bodic
which was so literally cut that l foun'
myself softly quoting:
| On her white breast a sparkling cross sh
Which Jews might kiss and infidels adore.
| NV fair companion was not long i
telling me that she was returning fror
brief visit to sick relative. Beyon
that she had little to reveal about hel
self. But she did not scruple to as
any number of questions. Did / lik
MexicoP Was travelling for bushes
or pleasure? What did think of tn
Mexican ladiesp
l answered all these questions, as
lazily and complacently watched tn
fiuttering fan with which this beaut
full creature appeared to do at leas
half of her conversation. In fact,
grew unnecessarily communicative.
mentioned my visit to TObosO, an
told of my success in collecting an ol
debt for which was to receive a goo
fee.
"And the senior is not afraid {
| robbersP" limited the senorita.
"Well, certainly not in the day
time" replied. II have goo
seven-shooter, and with the driver t
help me ought to be able to hold m
own"
"You Americans are so brave" mu